Shots of the Manhyia Local Prison’s Poultry Farm
Beyond the safe custody, reformation, and welfare of prisoners, the Officer-in-Charge of the Manhyia Palace-based correctional facility — the Manhyia Local Prison — Deputy Director of Prisons (DDP) Hannah Hilda Ewoame, has gone beyond the usual routine to introduce a poultry farm venture.
This initiative is rapidly transforming not just the institution’s protein supply but also the lives and prospects of the inmates involved.
Revamped barely a month ago, the initiative has grown from a modest coop into a bustling operation housing over 100 broilers. Its primary goal is to support daily rationing, offer practical agricultural training, and foster rehabilitation — all contributing to the prison’s broader sustainability drive.
According to the Officer-in-Charge, the idea was born out of the need to tackle multiple challenges — chief among them, inmate training — as well as reducing idleness, equipping inmates with employable skills post-sentence, improving internal nutrition, and generating revenue to support other rehabilitation programmes. It also aligns with the Director General of Prisons’ ‘Kitchen Support Initiative’, which seeks to enhance and sustain dietary protein supply across correctional institutions.
Inmate training
Under the supervision of dedicated prison agricultural officers — namely Chief Officer Richard Amewu, Sgt Christian Oteng Boakye, Sgt Joseph Wutisman, and 2CO Anthony Boampong — the selected inmates are responsible for the daily care of the birds. Currently, five inmates are undergoing basic training in modern poultry husbandry. They are learning about breed selection, feeding routines, disease prevention, biosecurity measures, and coop maintenance.
Unanimously, the inmates express that they have been given both a challenge and a renewed sense of purpose.
“We are grateful to Mamaga and the Agric officers for this opportunity — not only to work here, but also for the training they are giving us. We promise to take it up when we go home,” said Sly (not his real name).
The inmates believe life will be much better with the skills they are acquiring.
DDP Ewoame notes significant positive changes in the inmates assigned to the poultry farm, emphasising that they are developing responsibility, patience, and a strong work ethic. The first-ever female Officer-in-Charge of the Manhyia Local Prison believes that caring for livestock fosters empathy and discipline.
The inmates are not just tending chickens — they are relearning how to contribute meaningfully to the prison community and to society after their release.
Agric officers
The poultry project also fosters a sense of teamwork and shared achievement. Its success has become a point of pride for both staff and inmates. DDP Ewoame’s administration is working diligently to engage all officers with formal or informal agricultural education backgrounds to support the farm with their expertise. The goal is to align the project with Sustainable Development Goal 2: End hunger, achieve food security and improved nutrition, and promote sustainable agriculture.
Call to action:
The Manhyia Local Prison’s poultry farm stands as a testament to the potential of innovative correctional reform, championed by the Director General of Prisons. It proves that rehabilitation can thrive in unlikely places — not just through reform strategies, but through practical, skill-based programmes that reveal the best in people.
For the inmates involved, this is more than a farm; it is a feathered pathway to a second chance.
Going forward, the prison administration plans to expand the venture by incorporating other sectors such as fish farming and a kitchen support garden. Discussions are currently underway to explore partnerships with private individuals and businesses for funding and logistical support.
